“Que le bon Dieu vous benit”
“May the good Lord bless you”

Discombobulated
Author: Pat Aman October 14, 1996

Well, all I can say is when I finish this devotion, you will think that I need to go to a doctor for sure.

We were watching the end of a “Tammy” movie today.

If you are our age or older, in which we will not go there, today please….You will remember the movies, Tammy and the Doctor, Tammy and the Millionaire, Tammy and the Professor.

Tammy was a young lady raised on a river boat by her grandfather.

Tammy had no Schoolin as they called it, which is not correct grammar, but still we understand. But I soon found out Tammy was smarter than I thought.

She said a word in the movie today that caught my attention.

She said, “Lordy, I am just discombobulated”.

Why this caught my attention beats me. Maybe I need to get out more. Joe just looked at me like, have you never heard the word discombobulated in Louisiana?

Anyway, I knew right off that Mr. Webster would not have the definition to this word, but I decided to look it up anyway.

I found discontinued, discontent, discomfort, huh, discomfort, and then suddenly there is was discombobulated. The Merriam-Webster had the word, meaning upset, confused, or etc.

Then a surprising thought came to my mind. I told Joe that I could see myself going to the doctor and upsetting his day with my discombobulated symptoms.

As we all know they come in reading your chart, not really listening to you. But they say, what seems to be your problem today?

Well, Doc. I am discombobulated. He looks at me out of the corner of his eye, as he pulls his palm pilot medical dictionary out of this pocket and proceeds to look up discombobulated.

I am guessing that this word is one he does not hear often and is not in his medical palm pilot. Maybe he is from Louisiana…..

He says, ” We need to run some test, or maybe see a specialist, or you can go home take two aspirins and call me in two days, if symptoms do not go away.”

I am thinking Specialist, then I can use my novel word again.

So, he sends me to a specialist who looks at me funny when I tell him I am discombobulated.

He checks me out and says, “I will send a report to your doctor in a few days. Until then go home and take two aspirins and call your local doctor is symptoms get worse.

Anyway by now I realized that I could have saved a lot of time and money, if I had just stayed home and taken two aspirins.

As we finished watching the movie, Tammy gives the definition for discombobulated. She says, again, ” I am just so discombobulated, just like a short dog in tall grass.”

I laughed at myself, and said thank you Lord, for letting me catch the trivial things you send my way to make me laugh.

So, whatever you are discombobulated about, I hope this put a smile on your face and laughter in your heart.

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart does good, like medicine. But a broken spirit dries the bones.”

Jeremiah 33:3 Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

Isaiah 40:28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.

And yes, if you I think you are discombobulated, just like a short dog in tall grass. Just pick your Bible up and read some inspiring stories. Then get down on your knees and have a little talk with Jesus and He will make it right….

He will turn your discombobulating into joy, peace and hope…

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy… Psalm 30:11

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2020 “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” and Westbow Press a division of Thomas Nelson and Library of Congress Control Number: 2018910976

What Are You Drinking?
Author: Pat Aman…

Todays devotion comes from (John 4:13-15) “Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again. But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give them will never thirst, but the water that I shall give them will become in them a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” The woman said to Him, “Sir give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”

When you’re thirsty, nothing tastes so good as a huge drink of cool water! Of course, that water can only satisfy you for a while. Then you need another drink.

People today try to change their water to make it taste better. They buy packets of assorted flavors to make their water taste better. They buy bottles of favored water. They also have all kinds of water with vitamins, and water to give you energy, and they try to make it look good, taste good, and smell good. It may change the taste, look, and smell, but it is still water.

Satan does the same thing in our lives if we let him. He tries to make sin look good. He tries to tell us it is okay to sin. He tries to make it smell good, taste good, and look good. But people sin is sin, and there is nothing that can make sin change from sin. There is no favor (excuse) that you can use for sinning.

But God’s Word tells says, ” that Jesus can give you a drink of water that would last forever!”

He is not talking about water that comes out of the faucet. Jesus is talking about a special kind of water that we can’t see, the water of everlasting life. The life of living water Jesus gives constantly satisfies our needs and desires. It quenches your soul, that you never thrust again.

You can have the “living water” today by believing that Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

One day the Lord Jesus met a woman at a well who needed this living water and He gave it to her. He told her, “you can drink of the living water and never thirst again.”

Let’s expand a little more about this special meeting. The woman at the well had a destiny. Jesus wanted to reach her no matter what He had to go through to get to her

After preaching in Judea, Jesus decided to return to Galilee, but Jesus needed to go through Samaria. This was the shortest route from Judea to Galilee. However, in Jesus’ day, the Jews, who hated the Samaritans, normally chose a different route to avoid Samaria. But, Jesus needed to go through Samaria to reach a certain woman.

When Jesus reached Samaria, He sat by a well to rest while the disciples went into the city. When a Samaritan woman came for water, He asked for a drink. Surprised, the woman could not understand how He, being a Jew, would ask her for a drink.

The woman was shocked that a Jewish man would ask her for a drink. Local custom prohibited public conversation between men and women who were strangers and especially Jews and Samaritans.

She didn’t know that this Man was different from all others. He was Jesus, the perfect Son of God, and He loved the Samaritans! As God the Son, He loves everyone, no matter what race or color.

The Bible says, “God is Love”
He loves you and me, too. He made you and He loves you much more than you can ever imagine! He created the entire world, the mountains, the oceans the trees, and flowers, everything! He is not only great, but He is holy and pure.

Little did this woman know that God cared about her. She had no idea that the One asking her for a drink was Jesus, God the Son. Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

The woman misunderstood when Jesus assured her that if she knew who He was she would ask for living water. The woman understood “living water” as that which was at the deepest part of the well. But Jesus spoke about the water of everlasting life which only He could give. Whoever drinks of this water, all who believe the gospel, will be satisfied forever.

Jesus challenged the woman to consider her own sinful condition by instructing her to bring her husband. Before the woman could believe in Jesus as the One who could give her “living water” (everlasting life) she had to recognize that she was a sinner. The Bible says, “everyone is born into this world a sinner.”

Romans 5:12
12 Therefore, just as through one-man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—

We are not right with God on the inside and that is why we have a “spiritual thirst.” We cannot change ourselves. Because you and I are sinners, we want our own way rather than God’s way. Can you think of sometimes when we know what is right, but choose not to do it? You and I have sinned, and the Bible says the “wages of sin is death” (to be separated from God)

Romans 6:23 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. You must be willing to admit you’re a sinner and that you need the Lord Jesus to give you “living water” Jesus was trying to help the Samaritan woman see that she was a sinner.

John 4:25 25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.”

But we see that she tried to change the subject on Jesus. Do we do that sometimes in our life to keep from doing His will?

The woman tried to change the subject by saying, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.” “Our Fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jesus say that in Jerusalem in the place where one ought to worship.”

When the woman told Jesus, the coming Messiah would explain these things, He said, “I am He.” The woman was face to face with the Savior of the world, the Messiah. The Messiah or Christ means “Promise One” from God. Jesus was the One that people had expected since the Old Testament times. The woman knew about that promise; and now He was here, talking with her!

Jesus was the perfect Son of God who would die for the sins of the entire world. He was nailed to the cross by those who hated Him. He gave His blood as an offering for sin, your sin and mine. He didn’t deserve to die because He had never sinned, but He willingly took the punishment you an did deserved. He was buried, but He didn’t stay dead! He rose from the grave, proving that His sin offering was accepted by our holy God for the sins of the entire world. Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior of the world. And the Samaritan woman was face to face with Him!

Immediately the woman believed that Jesus was truly the Messiah, and she excitedly ran to the city to tell other about Him.

We need to get excited and run and tell the world of our Messiah. Let’s take a lesson from the Samaritan woman and go tell of the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2020 “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” and Westbow Press a division of Thomas Nelson and Library of Congress Control Number: 2018910976

Forming Habits

Author: Pat Aman

WOW! It takes only 30 days to form a habit or break a habit.

Now do not get me wrong or get mad at what I am going to say, but if having to make it a habit to do it helps you to start reading your Bible and Praying everyday, DO IT!

(Psalm 119:11) “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

“For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:12-13)

When you decide to study the Bible, you will soon fined out that the habit has become a intimate daily relationship with God. 

I can think of things that I find would be harder.  Exercise, which I am trying to do. Not having a Krispy Cream Donut every so often. And as for my daughters not buying shoes. But I am sure for all of us, we could add a lot more.

But just think of the reward of spending time in the word. You are relaxing, because you are not thinking and worrying.  God is talking to you.  God is talking to you. You’ve strengthening your faith. You are filling your spirit with the word, the word that defeats satan and his demons. And again, I am sure you yourself can think of a billion wonderful things that are taken place as you are reading the Word of God. 

So,  what is stopping you? Get busy right now, and start the habit that will bless you and you will surely be a lot more happier in your life.

I love a statement  John Wesley said, “In all cases, the church is to be judged by the Scriptures not the Scriptures by the church.”  The Bible is still the supreme authority for the Christians in all matters. It is not what we think Jesus would do or how we feel He would interpret the Scriptures, but “Thus says the Lord.”

And this is just one of the reasons we need to spend time daily in God’s Word. 

The next five details comes from Bible Study Tools: https://www.biblestudytools.com

Click on above link for the complete study.

5 Reasons Why We Should Study God’s Word

First, the Word of God is infallible. 

Second, the Word of God is complete. 

Third, the Word of God is totally authoritative.

Fourth, God’s Word is totally sufficient for all of our needs.

And fifth, the Word of God will accomplish what it promises

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2020 “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” and Westbow Press a division of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Bible Study Tools…

Quote: John Wesley

So Many Worldly Things
Author: Pat Aman…

I love History, I read at less one history book a month, along with my Biblical Studies and readings. American History is a very important part of our religious heritage.

I was reading the biography of Black Hawk. Black Hawk, a leader of the Sauk and Fox nations, decided to fight for the land that belonged to his people.
Black Hawk was born near the Rock River in Illinois. Black Hawk began fighting for his people soon after the Sauk were tricked into signing an unfair in 1804. Five Sauk leaders were tricked by William Henry Harrison. He gave them whiskey. While the Sauk were drunk, they signed a treaty that gave all of their land east of the Mississippi River to the United States.
Black Hawk was furious when he learned about the treaty. Black Hawk decided to fight the United States.

During the War of 1812, he fought with Tecumseh on the side of the British.
Black Hawk and his sons led a group of Sauk and Fox against the United States Army. The war became known as the Black Hawk war. Black Hawk and is men fought bravely, but the American Army had more soldiers and better weapons. The war ended in August 1932 when Black Hawk and his sons were captured. They were taken to Washington D.C. as prisoners.

After the war Black Hawk returned to his people and settled with them in Iowa. He remained there until he died in 1938. Although Black Hawk failed to keep his land, he is now admired for his brave fight to protect the rights of his people.

(Ephesians 6:10 – 12) says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against power’s, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

I know you are thinking where are you going with this?

Well, when I read this story the first thing that came into my mind was, “IF” the Sauk had not given in to drinking and became so intoxicated that they signed their land away, they still may have owned their land.

The devil will show us so many worldly things that look good that we become intoxicated with them. Then the devil will slowly reel us in to deeper sin and soon death.

Just as the Sauk were reeled in my whiskey, the devil will try to tell us that following him will bring us a better way of life. He will try to entice us to live for him.

The truth is, we have a real enemy who wants to destroy us. We have a real fight on our hands in the struggle to hold onto our purpose.

As citizens of the kingdom of God, we have become a threat. The enemy has been engaged, and the fight is on. We need to have an attitude of watchful readiness.

We must put on the whole armor of God, so that we may withstand all the wicked ways of the devil and his demons.

We must put on the helmet called salvation. The strongest battles are fought on the battleground of our minds. Now the blood of Jesus continually cleanses our mind from thoughts of insecurity, discouragement, fear and doubt.

And we are protected by righteousness and truth, because Jesus is our righteousness and He is the truth. We cannot trust in our own good works.

The enemy will defeat us if we try to stand on our own righteousness. Our only true freedom comes by hearing and abiding in the truth. That means I am who God says, I am. In Him I live and move and have my own being!

Also in one hand we need to hold a sword. In the other hand a shield. We must yield daily to the Holy Spirit who activated the word of God through our faith. Faith is the substance of our hope. When we wield the sword, we do it in faith in God’s promise to be faithful to His word. Faith is being persuaded that God is able! God’s word will defeat any enemy.

The battle we face daily is not with people or situations. There is an enemy who uses people and circumstances to try to steal our lives and our happiness. We are already defeated if we try to win this war in our strength with carnal weapons. We must take up- the weapons of the Spirit and learn how stand. We must stand our ground and courageously resist the temptation to surrender.

We are destined for warfare and dressed for battle. Watching in prayer, let us persevere like good soldiers to the victorious end!

Yes, Black Hawk did come back and fight, but because his enemy was stronger he was defeated and had to settle for less.

As soldiers of God, when we fight, we will win. We do not have to settle for less. Our Father owns all the cattle on a thousand hills, and He has enable us with the spiritual Armors, and our enemy is defeated.

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2020 “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” and Westbow Press a division of Thomas Nelson and Library of Congress Control Number: 2018910976…

Don’t Get Constipated
Author: Pat Aman

I made a statement to a friend that sometimes we get full of IT! That we sometimes need to take a good dose of laxative. In other words a dose of laxative from the word of God.

When we become so set in our own selves that we do not consider that God is in control, our insides become hard as cement. Our hearts become cold to other people’s feelings and needs.

But, when we take a good dose of God’s Word it will begin to stir our insides around and everything will soon work out. Then we are cleaned out and feel a lot better about our circumstances.

Psalm 51:10-13 says, “Create in me a clean heart O God. And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You.”

This scripture says a lot. Sometimes when we get so bedded down with life, we need a good working out from the our Father God.

Now you know what I mean. When we get well, I just going to say it, constipated we feel miserable. We take some medication and we get worked out and we feel better.

There are times in our life, we think that we are in control. We can handle everything ourselves. We do not need God to help us solve our problems and troubles.

How many times have you prayed for God to take care of a circumstances, then the minute you say Amen to your prayer, you know, the prayer you ask God to handle.

You then get up off your knees and try to tell God how it needs to be handled.

You start worrying about it. You have picked the situation back up into your hands and taken it back from God’s hands.

When we do this, we soon become unhappy. We become stressed. We become constipated. That is when we need to get in the word and down on our knees and take a good dose of God’s laxative. Then when He works it out, we will feel a lot better. Not so bloated and making ourselves and everyone around us miserable.

Today, take the time to pray and read the word and see all the (smelly mess) God will bring out of you as you empty yourself in Him. He can take it and nothing we do smells to strong for him.

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2020 “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” and Westbow Press a Division of Thomas Nelson Publishers

Jesus Is Working
Author: Pat Aman..

When we are faced with a great need, either for ourselves or for others, we should begin by humbly seeking to know God’s will in the matter: “Father, what do You want to do in this situation?”

(St. John 5:17) Jesus says, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”

(Matthew 17:20) Jesus says, “Because of your unbelief for assuredly, I say to you. If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Be careful not to start or end a prayer by saying blindly, “If it be Your will.” Rather, you should seek to know God’s will in the situation and then base your prayer upon it. Praying for a miracle is welcoming a gift of the Holy Spirit to manifest. When His will is to work one, He will witness that to your heart. Then you can ask Him to perform the miracle that you know He wants to bring about.

It is often important to exercise a key to the miraculous—the spoken word. God has given us authority over disease, demons, sickness, storms and finances.

(Matthew 10:1) says, “And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.”

(Luke 10:19) says, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

Remember that we are his disciples now. We are the ones that He has called to carry on the work of the disciples in the beginning.

Often, we may keep asking God to act, when, in fact, He calls us to employ His authority by our actions with divinely empowered speech. Then we may declare that authority in Jesus’ name: we may command needed funds to come to us, command a storm to be stilled, command a demon to come out, command any affliction to leave, command a sickness to depart.

(Mark 11: 23-24) Jesus said, “Whoever says to the mountain, Be removed and be cast into the sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them and you will have them. “

Believe in your heart that it has already happened!!! With the anointing of faith that God gives you, speak it forth. But remember, miracles come by faith in God’s present power, not by a ritual or formula of human works or willpower.

You need to also remember that the key to be able to have this authority in Jesus stands on where you stand in Jesus. You need to know Jesus as your personal Savior. You need to make sure that you keep His commandments. You cannot live for the Devil and then ask God to help you get out of trouble. You must come to accept Jesus as your personal Savior and then let God through the Holy Spirit start to mold you into the person He would have you to be. It will be a daily process. A daily Sanctification. You did not get where you are now overnight and it will take a life time of depending on God and His grace, to bring you where you need to be.

Asking Jesus to forgive you of your sins and come into your heart happens the minute you ask Him. Then you can become the clay and let Jesus mold you.

Note: I am looking forward to sharing God’s Word this coming Sunday May 3rd @ 11:15am est, in the vacant lot beside our home. It will also be live on my personal FB page- Pat AH Aman

Teaching will be on The Prodigal Son: Parable of the lost son and the loving father. Of all the parables that Jesus spoke, this one featuring the prodigal son may be the most touching and best remembered. Luke 15:11-32

And a song time for the children…
God bless each of you,

I promise not to keep you long, so you can enjoy the beautiful weather outside with your family.

We are hoping to cookout and enjoy swimming in the pool ourselves. They are saying 87 degrees….

A beautiful day to start off celebrating with God first and then Family.
Pat AH Aman

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2019 “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” and Christian Faith Publishers ….

Getting Back To The Basis
Author: Pat Aman

I love all kinds of Gospel Music. I love the praise and worship and even the more contemporary music that our youth listens to.

This week I have been listening to all my Gaither Gospel Series. I love the old song like I’ll Fly Away, He’ll Pilot Me, Precious Memories, He Looked Beyond My Fault and many many more.

It also gets me to thinking about church as a child. The church that you looked forward to going to. When ever the church doors were open, you just could not wait to get there. But lately churches have got to business like.

There are so many preachers that are trying to make money, to lift themselves high above God. The church is getting to commercial. Yes, now I understand that it takes money to keep a church going, but if the preacher is doing what he/she needs to be doing by preaching the Bible, then the money will come in to take care of the church. Churches have kept going and growing many years before there were T.V. and radio. Yes, God now has allow these things to help spread the word of God, but what has happen to the door to door evangelism. The personal hand shake. The friendly smile, the hug and love that people can receive by being in the church house.

Friends, we better get back to the basics. The “Go Ye” part. (Mark 16:15) says, “And He said to them, “Go Ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” We need to be personality sharing the Roman Road with everyone we see. Remember verses like Romans 2:12, Roman’s 3:23, Roman’s 6:23, Romans 10:6, Romans 10:17, and the best one of all John 3:16.

There are people dying and going to hell, because to many are sitting in their offices, talking on the phone letting satan keeping them to busy to do the Lord’s work. Remember I have shared with you before something that one of my Sunday School Teachers shared with us. (BUSY) Being Under Satan’s Yoke, (Thanks Jeff)

If you are saved you are a disciple and you better get busy sharing the gospel and not just on Sunday. And friends you do not need your preacher permission to witness and visit the sick.

And if God has call you to be a preacher, you better get down on your knees and make sure you are doing what He has called you to do. If you are just sharing the Gospel on Wednesday and Sunday then you better get yourself straight, because it is a everyday job. Not a just when you want to do it. It is a 24-7 call on your life.

The time is near and we all are going to be held accountable for the souls that God sends our way and we do not share the gospel with. It is time we do like the old timers did. Don’t worry about our shoes being shiny, but get off of our bottoms and get a little dust on our shoes.

It’s time to get back to the old ways, Start caring and sharing the gospel. And the first place that we need to start is in the church. There are alot of people sitting on the pews of the church who are hurting.

Something I have always said, the church is no better than the person behind the pulpit. If that person is not taking care of God’s business then the church will not know how to take care of God’s business.

Today let us all make a decision to do the work of God. Do not let satan stop you from doing God’s work. Get down on your knees and ask God to forgive you for being lazy and then ask Him, “God what do you want me to do now?”

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2020“Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” and Christian Faith Publishers ….

You Are Worth a Million Dollars, Plus
Author: Pat Aman..

As I think about life, I wonder? Life is a lot like currency. I worth is according to how we feel about ourselves.

I read the money breakdown a few years ago.

The dollar can be broken down into the quarter, dime, nickel, and penny.
The quarter can be broken down into the dime, nickel, and penny.
The dime can be broken down into the nickel and penny.
The nickel can be broken down into the penny.
The penny can be broken down into nothing.

After dwelling on the information above for a while, I thought. And you know me, hum, that is a sermon.

You know the penny is the penny. Without it other coins of money could not exists.

The penny is the only coin made able to stand alone and still have value in, and of itself. Yet the penny is often underappreciated, overlooked and seen as worthless, as something that can be disregarded, as something that isn’t important, because its value is small in the eyes of the world.

Maybe you feel like that too? Maybe you feel underappreciated, overlooked, and worthless. Maybe you feel disregarded and unimportant, like your value is small in the eyes of the world. If so, you are not alone.

Two thousand years ago, long before the penny and long before you or me, a man came to this earth as a tiny, underappreciated baby who was overlooked and seen as worthless by many in the eyes of this world. Yet He was not worthless; in fact, He was priceless.

That baby was small, though. And the penny may be small. And you may be only one person. But that baby was important, and the penny is important, and you are important…. simply because you exist.

Like the penny, you do have worth. Like that tiny baby (and because of that tiny baby), you do have value. You, are the building block that helps make everything else complete. So, remember that fact, not just during the Christmas season, but everyday, as you remember the tiny, underappreciated baby Jesus who came to this earth to become the ultimate building block for us all.

The word of God tells us that He knew us before we were conceived. That he knows and has every hair on our head numbered. So, I want you to know that You are important. God does not make mistakes. You were put on this earth for a purpose.

Now take the time and stop and ask God to lead you in the direction you should go. And what He wants you to do for Him today.

We are important to Jesus. He sent us to earth on an assignment.

Do, hows that going? Are you passing or barely making it?

We are His Disciples, and He has called us to tell the world about His love and tell the world to be ready, because He is coming again.

Every day, Jesus calls. Every day, we answer. Some days we run to keep up with His long strides. Other days we hang back with reluctance wishing He would turn His gaze elsewhere. Yet He keeps calling. Our response, whether joyful or timid or sullen, is our answer to His call.

Oh, He’s heard all kinds of answers before. He’s heard them from Peter, John, Thomas, Judas and others of that special band of twelve. And He’s heard them from the Seth’s, Mary’s, Benjamins, Daniels, and the countless other folks who followed Him from the Sea of Galilee to Jerusalem. All were disciples. His every day disciples.

You see, His disciples weren’t only the twelve Apostles. They were ordinary people like you and me. They might have met Him on a dusty road or encountered Him at the village well. Perhaps they prayed with Him at services or chatted with Him as they toiled at daily chores. But once He entered their lives, they responded. That’s the way it is with everyday discipleship. He is there. He calls. We answer. However, faint, our answer puts us among the ranks of His disciples.

So, do not wait on the Preacher, Teacher, and the Head Deacon, to do the job God called you to do. That is to live for Him daily. When you asked Jesus to come into your heart, you became a disciple. And one day you, as I will stand before God and He will hold us accountable for what we did and did not do. So, do not blame the Preacher, Teacher, and the Head Deacon for the lost souls around you. Take up your cross and do His will.

(John 7: 38) says, “He that believeth on me, as the scriptures hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” NKJV

I Have No Fear
Author: Pat Aman

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

The devotional tonight is simple. Not a taught lesson. Just a thought from my heart.

I have gone to bed tonight, but I am unable to go to sleep. I prayed but still not able to relax. The wheels of my mind turning in different directions.

So much death and disaster in our world. But, I also see people helping people. Neighborhoods coming together. Yes, God is in control.

As I lay here I have started thinking of the old hymn. “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.”

This words of this great hymn was written by: Elisha A. Hoffman in
1887.
Music by: Anthony J. Showalter, circa 1900.

Showalter wrote this tune and words to the refrain after hearing from two friends whose wives had died, and asked Hoffman to write the rest of the lyrics.

I want to share with you the words of this great hymn.

“Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlastings arms.

O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
O how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlastings arms.

Leaning, leaning,
Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

I can say, I did not start thinking about this old hymn out of the blue. It was a God Wink.

I know that God through the Holy Spirit laid the words of this song on my heart.
He was letting me know that as long as I lean on Jesus everything will be alright.

We all need to learn to lean on Jesus.

We need to lean on those
everlasting arms. And as the songs says, “What a fellowship, what a joy
divine, what a peace of mind, with no dread, with no fear, I have blessed peace, because my Lord is near, Leaning on those everlasting arms.

I hope that as you read these words that you now also will lay all your troubles and worry in the arms of Jesus.

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2020, “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” and Westbow Press a division of Thomas Nelson

Church in Laodicea
Author: Pat Aman

““To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.””
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3:14-22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

There are many in the world who are completely cold to the things of Christ. The gospel leaves them absolutely unmoved. It arouses no spiritual response. They have no interest in Christianity, no interest in the church. They make no pretense. They certainly aren’t hypocrites. They don’t even go near things that have to do with Christ. They are lost and they could care less. They don’t want to hear the Word of God at all.

On the other hand, believers are marked by a response to spiritual truth and they’re zealous and they’re fervent. And He’s saying metaphorically, I could take it if you were like Hierapolis because then you’d be real. I could even take it if you were like the cold water of Colossae. That’s better than being the foul water of Laodicea, lukewarm. Who are they?

Professing Christians, go to church, claim to know the Lord, but aren’t saved. They’re content with self-righteous religion. They’re hypocrites playing games.

They’re the kind of people described in Matthew 7 where Jesus says, “Many will say unto me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and I will say unto them, ‘Depart from me, I never knew you. You may have done many works in my name and prophesied and cast out demons, but I don’t know you.’” They’re like those in 2 Timothy 3:5 who have a form of godliness but without power.

They’re like the Jews in Romans 10 who have a zeal for God but not according to a true knowledge.

They’re just hypocrites, touched some way by Christianity but not belonging to Christ. And there is something obnoxious about them. They nauseate Christ. They make Him sick.

There’s much more hope, frankly, for one who has been untouched by the gospel. There’s much more hope for one who has made no pretense of knowing Christ – do you understand that? – than there is for the one who makes the pretense but his life illustrates that he’s not really honored Christ at all. In fact, I would say there’s no one farther from the truth in Christ than the one who makes an idle profession without real faith. He is really in Satan’s hands. They had bought a satanic lie about Christ. They were in religion up to their neck. They called it Christianity, they said they were a church. Satan was in control.

In the history of the church and in my experience, no one has been harder to reach for Christ than a false Christian. Satisfied with the measure of his good works, satisfied with his attitude toward God, and they sit in churches across the world. It would be easier to win a sinner deep in sin. It would be easier to win a criminal, it would be easier to win an agnostic or an atheist, it’s easier – Jesus certainly said – to reach the Publicans and the harlots than it is the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

There’s more hope for the salvation of an atheist than a spoiled, half-hearted, conceited hypocrite who thinks he knows the truth and pretends to accept it. Like the Pharisees, they don’t feel their need.

They have that lukewarmness of religion. They sense no chill. If they were cold enough to feel the bitterness and the severity of their sin, they would be more readily brought to the knowledge of Christ. But these conceited, self-deceived hypocrites, this lukewarmness made Christ sick.

But there was even something worse than being lukewarm and that was their self-deception. Look at verse 17. Here’s the second condemnation. Because you say I am rich and have become wealthy and have need of nothing and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. Look at that, first part of – “Because you say.” Do you remember the study we did in Matthew chapter 7 and we talked about the “if we sayers” and the “if we doers”? If we say – if we say – if we say, Jesus said doesn’t mean anything. What matters is if we do, if we do, if we do. It’s not the people who say, it’s the people who do the will of my Father.

Salvation is the gold that makes people spiritually rich in faith. Salvation is the white robe that covers our sinful nakedness. Salvation is the eye salve that gives us the knowledge of God and of His truth. What’s He offering? An abiding faith, an abiding righteousness, an abiding understanding. You are poor, you are blind, you are naked. Let me fix that.

All that comes together when the sinner offers the price which is himself and when he repents to follow Jesus Christ.

Friends, there is so much more history in each of these seven churches. The history of each location had important roll to the status of these churches and their surroundings.

I wish I had more time to share with each of you every detail of the seven churches.

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book © 1996/2020, “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals” and Westbow Press a division of Thomas Nelson